Stuck microphone switch on captain yoke was replaced, trip flown.

Attributes
ACN	183452
Time
Date	199107
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	183452
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

At departure captain's yoke transmit key stuck in the transmit position. Since no replacement switch was available maintenance disconnected the switch, put an MEL sticker on the yoke and signed the maintenance logbook. I had the first officer check the MEL and he could not find any reference to the particular switch. I could still transmit using the hand held microphone and while using the O2 mask transmit with the right/T switch on the communication selector panel. Upon arrival at the next station I was informed by company maintenance that I had accepted and flown the aircraft with a no go item not working (the yoke transmit key being the item). Prior to departure I considered emergency situations with the loss of the yoke key and felt that it would not compromise safety, i.e., transmitting while on O2. When using a boom microphone I almost exclusively use the right/T switch on the communication select panel to transmit.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: STUCK MICROPHONE SWITCH ON CAPT YOKE WAS REPLACED, TRIP FLOWN.

Narrative: AT DEP CAPT'S YOKE XMIT KEY STUCK IN THE XMIT POS. SINCE NO REPLACEMENT SWITCH WAS AVAILABLE MAINT DISCONNECTED THE SWITCH, PUT AN MEL STICKER ON THE YOKE AND SIGNED THE MAINT LOGBOOK. I HAD THE FO CHECK THE MEL AND HE COULD NOT FIND ANY REFERENCE TO THE PARTICULAR SWITCH. I COULD STILL XMIT USING THE HAND HELD MICROPHONE AND WHILE USING THE O2 MASK XMIT WITH THE R/T SWITCH ON THE COM SELECTOR PANEL. UPON ARR AT THE NEXT STATION I WAS INFORMED BY COMPANY MAINT THAT I HAD ACCEPTED AND FLOWN THE ACFT WITH A NO GO ITEM NOT WORKING (THE YOKE XMIT KEY BEING THE ITEM). PRIOR TO DEP I CONSIDERED EMER SITUATIONS WITH THE LOSS OF THE YOKE KEY AND FELT THAT IT WOULD NOT COMPROMISE SAFETY, I.E., XMITTING WHILE ON O2. WHEN USING A BOOM MICROPHONE I ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY USE THE R/T SWITCH ON THE COM SELECT PANEL TO XMIT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.